Four for Friday: Pox Upon My House, HSM Lunchbox, Kids & Marriage, Best Valentine Gift
Item #1: Pox Upon My House (Chicken Pox, That Is)
I thought we were all set. The Spouse and I both had chicken pox when we were children. All three of our offspring had received the chicken pox vaccine during their first year of life. But it wasn’t until my 7-year-old boy was diagnosed with chicken pox yesterday when I learned that, in order for the immunity to the disease to be maintained, physicians have determined that a booster shot of the vaccine is needed. And my kids hadn’t had them.
Since the pediatrician’s visit yesterday — where we were told that The Youngest Boy’s bout with chicken pox should be mild because he’s been vaccinated once — we’ve also had our twin 10-year-olds receive booster shots, even though there’s still a chance they too could develop chicken pox in the coming days if their immunities to the disease have diminished.
So I spent yesterday afternoon e-mailing and calling people with whom we’ve come in contact or who’ve visited our house in the past week or so, and informing them that my kid had chicken pox and that if they haven’t had it, haven’t been vaccinated or had a booster shot, they should be on the look out for suspicious red blemishes. It reminded me of the time when one of the children contracted lice from school, and kindly shared it with me, and I had to contact a ton of people to warn them . . . except I think the lice calls were harder and more embarrassing to make.
Item #2: ‘High School Musical’ Lunchbox Gets the Shaft
The Girl is a Disney Channel addict. She loves all things High School Musical and Hannah Montana. She adores the Jonas Brothers, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and The Wizards of Waverly Place. So it’s no surprise that her lunchbox bears an HSM logo and the likeness of the film series’ stars.
When I was packing her school lunch earlier this week, she asked me to put aside the HSM lunchbox and instead use a plain, navy, canvas lunch sack The Spouse got at some business conference and has the name of a law firm on the top. What changed her mind? She said she sits with boys at her lunch table who aren’t big Troy Bolton fans and would have (or already have?) made fun of her. I was surprised to find myself feeling just as disappointed as when she abandoned her Kim Possible lunch box in favor of the HSM gang. It’s one more step.
Author and columnist Meredith O'Brien gives you a peek behind the picket fences of modern day life and parenting in the 'burbs. With humor and candor, it's her take on real parenting in the real world.
